year, the planet Mercury makes more than four such circuits, and Venus nearly two. If Mercury be inhabited, the people of that world, must view one of our years, which is equal to four of theirs, as a long period. But,

shorter, and short, compared with other things that are longer. A year is long, compared with a month, which is measured by the revolution of the Moon round the Earth, which is performed twelve times in a year. It is still longer, compared with a week, which is Secondly. A year will appear an arbitrary division of time, to be a long and important perimade by the Creator of the world, od, if we consider how many who was pleased to set apart one events take place, in Divine Proday in seven, as the proportion of vidence, during that space of time proper to be devoted to reli- time. How many changes take gious worship and instruction.-place, during the four seasons, in It is owing to this divine institution, that the division of time into weeks was ever observed by mankind. How many weeks and Sabbaths there are in a whole year! Compared with a day a year appears longer still. A day is that portion of time, measured by the revolution of the Earth on its axis. Three hundred and sixtyfive of these diurnal revolutions are performed in the course of a year. If we descend still lower, and compare a year with an hour, it appears long indeed. The number of hours in a year, is no less than eight thousand seven hundred eighty and six. And yet, how long an hour seems to a man in extreme pain, to one who is expecting important news, to a malefactor in the pillory, or a prisoner in a dungeon!

A year is long, compared with the whole life of certain animals. How many insects, in that period, come into existence, arrive at maturity, become superanuated, and expire. Three hundred and sixty-five generations of the ephemeral fly may succeed each other in lineal descent, in the space of a year.

This period is long, compared with the revolutions of some of the planets. While the earth which we inhabit, is travelling round the sun to complete our

the natural world. The laws of nature are ever in operation, and, in the course of a year, produce countless revolutions in the mineral, vegetable and animal king doms. What changes take place in the kingdoms of men, in a whole year! How many are born! How many die! If the population of the world be eight hundred millions, and a generation lasts, on an average, thirty years; then the whole number of deaths in a year, must be more than twenty-six millions and an half! How many joyful events, how many sorrowful events, how many unexpected events, how many momentous events, take place in the course of a year! If a minute history of them could be written, we might almost say, the world would not contain the books.'

Thirdly. A year is a long period, compared with the duration of human life. Before the food, man lived to the age of eight or nine hundred years. And, though at the time of the deluge, owing to the corruption and violence with which the earth was filled, a whole generation, with the exception of eight persons, was swept away, and human life was much curtailed; yet the patriarchs lived from three to six hundred years. After this, the life of man was gradually shortened, till, in

useful part, even of the longest life, is short; and of this part, a whole year is a large portion.

do

Fifthly. A year will appear to be a long and important period, if we consider how much men may in that time. How much good may be done in a year? If no part of it be wasted in idleness, in needless sleep, in useless amusement: how many acts of duty, of charity and beneficence, may be performed? How much knowledge may be acquired, how much business, secular and sacred, may be done,in the course of a whole year, by such as are not slothful in business, but fervent in spirit, serving the Lord? How much was done in a year by that man, who went about doing good? His publick life lasted but three years and a half; and yet, who can estimate the amount of the good which he did? But, as he spake as never man spake,' so he did what no mere man could ever do." It is granted. Read, then, the lives of th Apostles, and see how much they did for the furtherance of the gospel and the salvation of men, in a year.

the reign of David, it had become reduced to the present standard; as we read in the ninetieth psalm: "The days of our years are three score years and ten; and if, by reason of strength, they be four score years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow: for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.-We spend our years as a tale that is told." How applicable is this description to the present term of human life? But a very few, comparatively, know the labour and sorrow of more than seventy years. Multitudes are cut off in the midst of their days: but the greater part close their earthly existence in youth and childhood. Such being the short continuance of man upon earth, at this day; a year may well be considered as a large part of his life. If a child knew that he should live to three score years and ten; he might still say, with propriety, "When a few more years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return." If the man of forty, knew, that he should die at the age of seventy; a year would seem to him to take away a large part But, they were divinely assisted of the residue of his life. Com- and inspired." Be it so. Read, pared with the whole duration of then, the life of Howard, of Fulhuman life, a year is long. But, ler, of Brainerd, of Mather, and Fourthly. How much longer hundreds of others, who were not still does this period appear, when weary in well doing,' and see what compared with the active and use- they accomplished, without any ful part of human life. Mankind supernatural aid, in the course of come into the world, the most fee- twelve months. Turn back the ble and helpless of animals. Their records of passing events, at the growth in stature and understand-present era, and see how much is ing, is slow. Years pass away, before they are capable of providing for themselves, or helping others. It is only for a few years, in the meridian of life, that they possess such maturity of strength and judgment, as qualify them for active service and useful labours. Soon their sun declines, and their faculties wither. The active and

done, in the space of a year, by benevolent individuals, by charitable associations, by Bible.Tract, Missionary, Education and Moral Societies, to enlighten the ignorant, reform the vicious, relieve the distressed, evangelize the heathen, and advance the kingdom of Christ.

How much evil may be done in

Sixthly. A year appears an important period of human life,when we consider how many mercies and afflictions men may receive at the hand of God, in that space of time. How many temporal favours men may receive from God, in a year! He is the pre-fliction cometh forth of the dust; server of their lives. He gives them health, the greatest of temporal blessings, whenever they enjoy it. He causes the sun to shine, the showers to descend, and the earth to yield her increase, to feed and clothe and shelter her children. For the so

ing that time, will affect his future and everlasting state. This world is a place of trial; this life is a season of probation, in which mankind are forming their characters and preparing themselves for the judgment of the great day. For all the deeds done here in the body, every human being must give account of himself to God. Mankind are always in action, and all their actions are either good or evil, holy or sinful, pleasing or offensive to God. How many thoughts enter the mind, how many afflictions pain the heart, how many deeds are done by the hands of every man, in every year? All these are perfectly known to Him, with whom we have to do, who searches the hearts and tries the reins of the children of men, in order to give unto every one of them, according to his works. The saint will hereafter receive, for every good deed, an infinite, because an endless reward; and the sinner, who dies impenitent, will receive, for every action of his life, an infinite, because an endless punishment. How much good, then, the saint may gain or lose, and how much wrath the sinner may treasure up, by the actions of a whole year! Here the power of numbers, fails. The worth of worlds would be no equivalent for the future good, or compensation for the future evil, which may result from the moral conduct of a single individual, in a single year.

In the first place, my hearers, take a retrospect of the year that is past, no inconsiderable portion of your life upon earth, and a large portion of the active and useful part of it. Consider,

1. Your obligation to the God of all grace for the many favours and mercies, which you have received the past year. Your lives have been preserved, while many have fallen on your right hand and on your left. It is owing to the care and protection of an ever watchful Providence, that you have been shielded from the pestilence that walketh in darkness, and from the destruction that wasteth at noon day. God has been mindful of you, when you have been forgetful of Him. From how many dangers, seen and unseen, has He covered you in the hollow of his hand? Asleep and awake, at home and abroad, He has been with you, and kept your feet from falling, and your souls from death. If you have enjoyed health, if you have been supplied with the comforts of life, if your friends and relatives have been preserved, if your houses have been safe from fear, and if you have been prospered in your secular affairs; for all these favours you are indebted to the infinite mercy of God, from whom we reThrough the good hand of our ceive life and breath and all things,

APPLICATION.

The subject to which we have attended in the preceding discourse, admits not of doctrinal inferences, but is well suited to excite serious reflections in every mind, and may be closely applied to the conscience and heart of every hearer.

and of whose tender mercy it is, that we sinners, are not consumed.

You have been favoured with another year of grace. You have experienced the forbearance of Him. who might justly have cut you down as cumberers of the ground, but who still waits to be gracious, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. You have been indulged with holy Sabbaths and the appointed means of instruction and salvation, while millions have been sitting in darkness and the region and shadow of death. God has crowned this year with his goodness. Will

you not then say, each one, with lively emotions of gratitude. "What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits? Bless the Lord, O my soul. Come magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together."

er, to love and holy obedience?

3. A whole year is a great part of your probationary time. What have you done with it, my hearers? You have had much secular time-many week-days, the year past. How have you spent them? Have you had respect to God's commandments, in the common business of life? Have you acknowledged God in all your ways, and implored his blessing on all the labour of your hands? Has it been your aim, whether you ate or drank, or whatever you did, to do all to the glory of God? Or have you ate to yourselves and drank to yourselves, and sought your own things only? Remember that the eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good, and that he considers every action as sin, which is not done to his glory. The world is his vineyard; men are his labourers, whom He commands to occupy till he come.

you been careful to bring up your children, and others committed to your care, in the nurture and admonition of the Lord?

2. Consider what effect the afflictions which you may have ex- You have had much holy time perienced, have had upon your the year past, and how have you hearts and lives. But few pres- spent that? Have you searched ent, it is probable, have entirely the scriptures and sought for Diescaped the chastening of the Al- vine truth, as for hid treasures? mighty. Some have experienced Have you loved to draw near unsore trials: their families have to God, in the closet, and in the been visited with sickness; and family, and to go up to his temdeath has come into their win-ple to behold his beauty? Have dows, and taken near and dear friends out of their sight. These afflictions came from the hand of God, as expressions of his displeasure with sin. What has You have had much leisure time been the nature of your sorrow the year past. Have you spent under them? Has it been that such time in acquiring and imGodly sorrow, which worketh re-parting knowledge and in forming pentance,or the sorrow of the world, designs and making essays to do which worketh death? Have you good, in your day and generahumbled yourselves under the tion? mighty hand of God, and felt unreserved submission to his holy and sovereign will? Have you been excited by the rod of correction, to watchfulness and pray

4. Prudent men, at the close of the year, settle and adjust their accounts with all such as have been concerned with them in business. Now, there is a long account be